Thursday December 17th, 2015

Posted at 5:05pm

The inaugural National Airlines flight from Windsor International Airport to Orlando Sanford International Airport took to the skies Thursday afternoon.

Scheduled service to Windsor will be available Sundays and Thursdays, departing Orlando at 10:30am Flights will return to Orlando from Windsor on the same days, departing Windsor at 2:30pm.

The airline also launched nonstop flights from Orlando to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on December 16th, and will begin flights to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador next year.

“Orlando is the most visited place in the U.S. and it’s exciting for us to enable passengers in underserved markets, such as Windsor, with a more convenient means to visit its world-famous theme parks, beaches and cruise ports,” said National Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer Edward Davidson. “Our partnership with the Orlando Sanford International Airport allows us to offer exceptional customer-focused service with the added value of relatively shorter lines and smaller crowds. We pride ourselves on being a full-service airline, delivering a world-class travel experience at a competitive price.”

The plane’s arrival in Windsor was marked by a traditional water arch salute. Before it returned to Orlando, the inaugural passenger flight was celebrated by National Airlines’ team members and its first passengers during a ceremony at the Windsor International Airport led by Davidson and Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.